Electric crib rocker



P 21, 1954 R. F. DE FRANK 2,639,355

ELECTRIC CRIB ROCKER Filed May 21. 1953 INVENTOR. fiaaseZ/ifieflzwi.

Patented Sept. 21; 1954 ELECTRIC ORB ROCKER Russell Frank De Frank;Vineland, N. J. Application May 21, 1953, Serial No. 356,460

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a crib reciprocating device, and is acontinuation in part of my pending application Serial No. 299,874, filedJuly 19, 1952.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a novel device adaptedfor connection with a leg of a childs crib for effecting reciprocatorymovement thereof on its casters.

It is well known by parents that an infant or child requires severalnaps each day. It is also known that more or less effort on the part ofa parent is required to induce the child to submit to its duty of goingto sleep.

It is further well known that a child after having been placed in itscrib will go to sleep more quickly if a reciprocatory or to and fromovement is imparted to the crib.

While the required attention to a child in inducing it to go to sleepvaries considerably with different children, and in any case may requirebut little time for each nap period, nevertheless, the overall timerequired for reciprocatory movement of the crib each twenty-four hoursis considerable and may in fact be more than the average parent has tospare considering the many other household duties, as well as a certainamount of rest required by all parents.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a noveldevice which is capable of being readily connected to the crib and whichwill effect the required to and fro movement thereof without anyattention of the parent whatsoever.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent inthe course of the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview of a childs crib showing .the application of the invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the lower end portion of one leg of thecrib with its associated caster on a substantially enlarged scale andshowing the invention in elevational and vertical sectional view.

Fig. 3 is an elevatidnal view as observed from the right of Fig. 2 withcertain portions in vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a bracket included in the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a standard form of crib isdesignated as C and which includes four legs L with cooperating casters0 which are rotatably supported in swivel mountings m as in well knownpractice.

The present invention includes a means attachable to one leg L foreffecting to and fro movement of the crib and a means attachable to eachof the other three legs L for restraining the caster mountings m againstswivel movement whereby the crib will be movable lengthwise thereofonly.

The first means comprises a bracket Ill which is attachable to one leg Las by means of a plurality of screws H. Suitably supported by thebracket I0 is an electric motor I 2 having a switch control button l3(the lead-in wires not being shown).

Suitably supported on the free end of motor I2 is a suitable channelmember including a base I4 and opposite side walls I5. A removable capit is practically engaged with the free end of the motor housing insurrounding relation to the channel member.

. The motor shaft I1 is journaled in the said base l4 and projectsbetween the sidewalls l5 where it is provided with a worm l8 which is indriving engagement with a worm gear I9 fixed on a shaft 20 extendingtransversely of said side walls l5 and suitably j ournaled therein.

The cap I6 is provided with an aperture 2i through which the shaft 20projects to a point externally thereof. Suitably fixed to the free endof shaft 20 is one end of an arm 22 which is provided with an elongatedslot 23.

A link 24 has one end thereof adjustably secured in said slot 23 as bymeans of a suitable bolt and thumb nut 25 and the opposite end ofthe'link includes a portion 26 extending at right angles to the majorportion of the link.

The link portion 26 extends through the opposite side walls of anelongated channel member 27 adjacent one end thereof and is securedtherein by a nut 28. The said member 2! includes a lever arm 29 and ana-rcuate caster engageable portion 3!] which is provided with a frictionThe means engageable with each of the other three legs L is indicated at32 and comprises a rectangular plate 33 provided with screw receiv ingapertures 34 whereby same is capable of being readily secured to a legas indicated in Fig. l.

The means 32 further comprises a pair of legs 35 for engagement withopposite side walls of a respective caster mounting m.

In the use of the improved structure, the crib reciprocating means issecured to one leg L and one of the members 32 is secured to each of theother three legs for preventing swivel movement of the respective castermountings m.

The motor I2 is then set into operation which 3 results in rotation ofshaft 20 and a corresponding rotation of the arm 22.

In the rotation of arm 22, the link 24 will be given a combined rotaryand reciprocatory movement as can be visualized from the dot-anddashposition in Fig. 2.

This movement of link 24 will cause member 21 to rock on its frictionpad 3] and since the caster 'c is seated in the channel of the member,it will gravitate to the lowest point of the arouate portion 30 with aresulting to-and-fro movement to the crib.

While I have disclosed my invention in accordance with a single specificstructural embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illustrativeonly, and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined inthe sub-joined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by 'U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. Structure for imparting to-and-fro move ment to a childs .crib inwhich each of the four legs thereof is provided with a caster rotatablysupported on a horizontal axis in a mounting rotatable about a verticalaxis of the leg; comprising a plate attached to each of three of saidlegs, a pair of laterally spaced arms projecting at right angles to saidplate and disposed at opposite sides of a respective mounting forpreventing rotation thereof about said vertical axis, and means securedto the fourth leg operable to impart to-and-fro movement to the crib, onits casters.

2. Structure for imparting to-and-fro movement to a childs crib in whicheach of the four legs thereof is provided with a caster rotatablysupported on a horizontal axis in a mounting rotatable about a verticalaxis of the leg; comprising means attached to each of three of said legsfor restraining the respective mountings against rotation about saidvertical axis, an elongated member having a channel therein receivingthe peripheral portion of the fourth leg caster, a friction pad on thesaid member engageable with the floor for preventing relative slidingmovement between the said member and floor, a motor secured to saidfourth leg, and connections operatively associated with said motor andsaid member for rocking said member on said pad, whereby the crib isgiven a toand-fro movement on its casters.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein said connections comprisea worm on the shaft of said motor, a worm gear driven by said worm, ashaft projecting from said gear, an arm having one end thereof securedto said shaft, and a link having opposite" ends thereof pivotallyconnected to said arm and said member.

4. The structure according to claim 3, wherein one end of said link isadjustably connected to said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,480,451 Koch Jan. 8, 1924 1,662,754 Millard Mar. 13, 19282,422,892 Forbes June 24, 1947 2,566,983 Coltrane Sept. 4, 1951 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 166,771 Great Britain July 28, 1921

